


Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

by NeverAndAlways



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemon Touching, Daemons, Episode: s04e01 Lazarus Rising, Gen, Profound Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 18:36:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3660876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short fic about Dean and Castiel's first meeting, and what the Profound Bond means when there are daemons involved.</p><p>(re-posted because it wasn't showing up with my other fics.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

**Author's Note:**

> (Dean's daemon, Kiara, is a doberman.)

Dean has seen a lot of weird things over the years. Hell, he's **killed** a lot of weird things over the years- vampires, witches, werewolves, you name it.

  
But this guy? He's weirder than all of them. Everything about him is just a little bit...off. From the moment he strolls into the barn- which, by the way, he shouldn't have been able to do, if he is what he says he is -Dean knows. Whatever trenchcoat-man is, it's strong. He practically reeks of power. Dean and Bobby's daemons react instantly; Camille wedges herself under a table and even Kiara tries to hide behind Dean (that alone should have been a sign- she's usually the first to jump into a fight). She bristles and growls, and he can feel her fear against his own when he unloads a round of bullets into the guy and it doesn't even slow him down.

"Who are you?" he demands, when they're circling each other like cats. He scans the room for a daemon, and his blood runs cold when he doesn't find one.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." the guy says.

"Yeah. Thanks for that." growls Dean, and drives his hunting knife right into the guy's chest.

That doesn't stop him either. Neither does Bobby with a crowbar. Trenchcoat-man calmly drops the knife on the floor and knocks Bobby out like it's nothing. By the time he turns back to Dean and says they need to talk, Dean is too scared to do anything but agree.

oOo

"He's alive."

Camille has come out from under the table and is hovering around Bobby, making anxious little noises. Dean, crouched next to them, casts a glance up at the guy.

"Who are you?" he asks again.

"Castiel."

"Yeah, I figured that much. I mean, what are you? And where the hell is your daemon?"

Castiel looks up. "I'm an angel of the Lord." he glances to the still-open barn door. A winged shape swoops in toward them, pulls up sharply, and lands on his shoulder with a soft rustle of feathers.

Dean stares. "Get the hell out. No one has a phoenix for a daemon."

"He does." the bird's voice is as light as Castiel's is harsh. She ruffles her wings. "I am Lyra."

"There's no such thing as angels, either." Dean scoffs.

Kiara creeps up behind him. Her hackles are still raised, and Dean can feel the nervousness like static electricity around her. He buries his fingers in her fur and continues. "Assuming I believe you- which I don't -can angels even have daemons?"

Castiel strokes Lyra's feathers. "She is my vessel's daemon." he says, "Therefere, she is also mine."

"'Vessel'? You're possessing some poor bastard?"

"He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this." Castiel says, with something close to pride. Dean looks from him to the phoenix and back and lets out a derisive snort. Why is he still here? Why is he even listening to this guy?

Because you do believe him, says a voice at the back of his mind. Or maybe it was Kiara...

"You would not still be here if you didn't, Dean." says Castiel. What, can he read minds too? His gaze lands on Kiara, and he tilts his head thoughtfully. "Kiara. You understand-"

"Don't you talk to her!" Dean snaps. Who do you think you are?

"Dean. Let him speak." whispers his daemon. She's still nervous, but there's something else as well now, and it makes him snap his head around to look at her.

"Don't tell me you believe this nut?!"

She just shushes him. Unbelievable- his own daemon! He turns back to Cas, and is surprised to find the angel watching him with pity in his eyes.

"She knows more than you give her credit for." says Lyra with the same pity, and far more disdain.

"What do you-"

"She is your soul." Castiel cuts in.

Dean scoffs again. "That's just a myth." he doesn't notice Kiara wince at his side.

"If she is not your soul, then what is she?" Lyra again; it's a little creepy how they do that. Dean hesitates. His dad always said daemons were just spirits, sort of guardians, bonded to you but still seperate...and if Kiara is his soul, then where was she when he was in Hell?

"She was there." Castiel's voice is soft, but the words are sharp.

"Bullshit. I would've known." the words come out before he can stop them. Castiel studies him intently; his bright-blue gaze feels like a searchlight. After a moment, he shakes his head.

"This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith." he takes a step forward, kneels down, extends his hand. "May I?" he asks, not of Dean, but of Kiara. She nods, and Castiel lays his hand on her forehead. The connection is like a spark. Dean gasps and recoils instinctively. It's supposed to feel awful when someone touches your daemon, it's supposed to feel painful and gut-wrenchingly wrong- but what he feels instead is power, roaring through his connection with Kiara like a hurricane through the eye of a needle. He shuts his eyes. Images flash behind them: Sam's daemon Clara, black wings stretched to the sky, him and Sam in the front of the Impala, feathers, his dad, Bobby, then fire and hellhounds and him torn to shreds in the middle of it all and Kiara in a cage--and then he's staggering and breathless, and Castiel is standing again. He sinks to his knees and buries his face in Kiara's coarse fur, trying to fight back the wave of nausea that sweeps over him. She **was** there. "Why didn't you tell me?" he murmurs into her coat. Guilt washes through the link.

"You didn't ask." she whispers back. For a moment he's angry: why wouldn't she tell him something like that? But then he realizes he would have done the same thing and he almost laughs, though there's no humor in it. He could have lost Kiara. All he wants to do is run away and hide, hold onto her and never let go. But Castiel is speaking again, so instead he gives her a gentle squeeze and stands up.

"I apologize," says Castiel, "it would have been overwhelming if I had gone through you directly."

"Whatever. You've made your point, so who are you really?"

Castiel frowns and cocks his head. "We already told you." says Lyra.

"Right. And why would an angel pull me- pull **us** out of Hell?" Dean rests his hand on Kiara's broad head.

"You are still not convinced, after what I showed you?"

"Well, you've given me a lot to think about." Dean admits. "But why'd you do it?"

Castiel draws himself up to his full height; on his shoulder, Lyra raises her crest. For a moment Dean has no trouble at all believing that this guy is an angel. And when Castiel speaks, there's something in his voice that makes Dean's hair stand on end.

"I rescued you because God commanded it." he says. "Because we have work for you- both of you."

And for the first time in years, Dean is truly scared.

oO0Oo

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked the story, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


End file.
